Hayek Fund for Scholars

As you begin your academic career, you may be searching for new ways to present your ideas and develop your unique potential.

Don’t let financial constraints hold you back from doing more.

Awarded on a rolling basis, IHS’s Hayek Fund can cover up to $750 in travel, conference fees, and other career-related expenses for PhD students or junior faculty members who have previously participated in IHS programs or events (New to IHS? Check out the IHS Conference & Research Grant!)

The Hayek Fund can reimburse you for activities including (but not limited to):

Presentations at academic or professional conferences

Travel to academic job interviews on a campus or at professional/academic conferences

Travel to archives or libraries for research

Participation in career-development or enhancing seminars

Submission of unpublished manuscripts to journals or book publishers

Please note: Hayek Fund awards cannot be used solely for conference attendance. Funding will only be considered for individuals presenting a paper or interviewing for a job at a conference.

Impact on Previous Participants

"Receiving awards from the Hayek Fund has enabled me to present papers at some of the most significant conferences in philosophy. As a direct result I have been asked to write both a critical notice and a book review. I have also been asked to submit two of my presented papers as articles. Finally, through revising my work after its exposure to the critical scrutiny of senior scholars in my field, I have had a paper accepted as a Colloquium Paper at the American Philosophical Association's meeting."

- James Stacey Taylor,
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
The College of New Jersey

Previous Hayek Fund Recipients and Their Research:

The IHS Hayek Fund for Scholars has supported scholars across a range of disciplines and activities advancing the principles of personal liberty and economic freedom. Here are a few of the many examples:

Joyce Ehrlinger
Cornell University, Social Psychology, PhD 2004

Awarded for: Poster Presentation on Explaining the failure to anticipate unanticipated consequences: Do we anchor too much upon intentions? at the 2004 Society for Personality and Social Psychology meeting.

Jules Gehrke
University of Minnesota, History, PhD 2006

Awarded for: Dissertation research at New York City’s Public Library and Columbia’s Butler Library archives.

The Application Process

You must submit your application online at least four weeks before your activity, so that we can review it and notify you in time (we do not award funding retroactively).

Your completed application must include the following items:

A completed online application form

Your CV or resume

An itemized list of expenses

If you are seeking the scholarship for career development, you will also need:

A summary of your presentation, such as an abstract or copy of the paper you intend to present at a conference, a description of arranged interviews, or a description of your planned research (e.g., a dissertation proposal)

A brief essay, no more than 500 words, describing how your proposed activity will advance your career

A brief essay, no more than 500 words, explaining the three most significant historical developments of the last 500 years relating to liberty.

Applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision within two weeks of submission, and awards will be disbursed after the awardee presents original receipts.

Frequently Asked Quesitons

Who may apply for the Hayek Fund for Scholars?

Graduate students and junior faculty (including post-doctoral students) who have previously participated in an IHS program or event are eligible to apply for the Hayek Fund.

Can I apply even if I haven’t participated in an IHS academic program?

The Hayek Fund for Scholars is exclusively for graduate students and junior faculty who have already interacted with IHS. However, the IHS Conference & Research Grant is open to all graduate students new to IHS.

Are international students eligible for funding from the Hayek Fund?
Current PhD students and junior faculty of any university are eligible for awards from the Hayek Fund, regardless of nationality.

Is there a deadline to apply for the Hayek Fund?

No. Applications are accepted year-round on a rolling basis. However, applications must be submitted at least four weeks before the event, and the majority of awards are made in the fall and spring.

How long does it take the committee to make a decision?

While applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision within two weeks of submitting an application, you must submit your application at least four weeks before your fundable activity.

I presented a paper several weeks ago. May I apply for the Fund ex-post?

No. We do not give awards after an event. Remember, applications must be submitted at least four weeks before your fundable activity.

I am attending an IHS conference. Does this qualify for a Hayek Fund award?

No. The Hayek Fund is not for attendance at a conference alone, so our programs usually do not qualify.

Are applications still accepted by mail, or email?

Applications are no longer accepted through the mail or email. Applicants must now apply through our online system.